Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. (SWS) (Head office: Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, President: Fumikiyo Uchioke) has decided to merge Sumiden Electronics, Ltd. (SDEL) (Head office: Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, President: Kenji Suga) which is a subsidiary of SWS. SWS will become the surviving company and SDEL will become the merging company on the effective date of April 1, 2012.

SDEL serves as a core company in the wiring harness business of the SWS Group. SDEL primarily manufactures parts that compose a wiring harness (e.g. connectors, terminals) and electronic components that control the automobile power supply and equipment, and supplies these products globally to wiring harness manufacturing bases of the SWS Group.

In regard to the business environment surrounding the wiring harness market, it is predicted that automobile demand will steadily increase mainly in emerging countries. However, customers' requirements in terms of technology, cost and quality have become more sophisticated, and global competition has accordingly become more severe.

Against a background of a business environment such as this, it was decided that SWS would merge SDEL to further enhance product development capabilities, technological capabilities and overseas business capabilities in the component and electronics business of the SWS Group, to improve the competitiveness of the wiring harness business. Through the merger, SDEL's management resources, including personnel, equipment and manufacturing expertise, will be consolidated into SWS to establish a system where development, manufacture and cultivation of human resources are promoted in an integrated manner.

[Outline of SDEL for reference]